Does talking to your kid about not drinking or smokeing really work?

yes I feel communication is the key to it. Its not just talking but how you talk that also matters. If you are passing judgment and giving orders kids will rebel but if you take them in to confidence and tell them repeatedly that you trust them but not their age as you also were tempted to make same mistakes they might listen to you. Be there for them if crisis falls on them but be supportive and never blame them.remember that they are kids and remember how stupid you were at that age.shouting at them never helps. You must tell them what you fear about and ask for assurance openly.allow them to experiment but say you want to be part of it.trust them thats important.

It's not pointless to talk to your kids about anything, ever. Whether it seems like they're listening or not, they are absorbing, even a little bit. And they probably won't listen, and they will probably just do exactly what they want anyway. The point is that you talked to them about it. On some level, they will know that you care about them, and whether they like that idea or not, it will make them more confident about saying "yes" or "no" to such things. It sounds weird, but not saying anything is worse than anything else you could do to your kids.

I think it does work if you actually take the time to explain to them what you feel and why you believe what you do.

in my opinion i don't think it does. because my parents told me not to do it and i did it anyway.